Against staggering odds—early marriage, young motherhood, financial distress, and disability—Pana Devi from Aspalsar near Churu has emerged as a beacon of hope. Her journey from laborer to graduate entrepreneur is reshaping lives, one woman at a time in rural Rajasthan.
Life threw curveballs early: schooling halted at fifth grade, marriage at 12, sons at 15 and 16. NREGA became her lifeline, but heavy labor clashed with her disability and longing for education. ‘Literacy would mean dignity,’ she mused amid toil.
Supported by her father, she reached eighth grade post-wedding, but Anganwadi dreams faded. Rajivika in 2016 was the game-changer. As sahayika, she earned, trained, sewed with a loan-bought machine, and pursued open schooling—triumphing over 10th-grade failure to complete 12th and graduation.
From worker to NREGA mate for three years, confidence soared. She pioneered sanitary napkin production via Rajivika loans. Scaling up was tough until officer Durga Dhaka’s plea brought a advanced machine from Collector Siddharth Siyaag. Now, 20 women power the unit.
Pana’s mentorship reaches deep: 40 women inspired to learn, 13 with her help in enrollments. From illiterate roots, she’s trained hundreds across districts. A presidential audience with Droupadi Murmu marks her stature.
‘Challenges build strength,’ she asserts. Priyanka Chaudhary and Manju from rural development affirm: Pana’s saga proves determination delivers success. Her unit buzzes with empowered workers, her influence spreads literacy and jobs— a testament to one woman’s power to catalyze change.